Ferrari: Di Montezemolo Doubts the Doubling of Points

Among the latest regulatory announcements, the doubling of points in the last Grand Prix of the season, effective from 2014, did not go unnoticed and shook the small world of F1. While some, like Sebastian Vettel, have been resolutely opposed, and others, like Sergio Pérez, rather favorable, Luca di Montezemolo holds a middle position.

Quoted by our colleagues from Autosport, the Ferrari boss has some reservations: « There was this decision to award a lot of points during the last race, but I’m not enthusiastic. It seems too artificial. We will see. I remember when they switched to [the three-point victory] in football to prevent all teams from playing 0-0. But that was from the first to the last match. Personally, I have some doubts. »

He hopes that 2014 will be a test year and that a definitive decision will be made afterwards: « The best way to discuss and know is perhaps to have a test year and then see. Today, it is too early to talk, » he declared, before qualifying: « I don’t want to give the impression that [the teams] said yes and now they are saying no. I have some doubts. I told Todt and I told Bernie that privately. »

When asked about the veto that the Scuderia could have wielded, being the only team able to do so, in response to this regulatory change, Di Montezemolo asserts he does not want to use it for such minor issues: « I think Ferrari’s veto right should be used if necessary for something that is more important and more profound for Formula 1. But I wouldn’t be surprised if the decision were changed in the future, just like F1 has changed the qualifying format multiple times, for example. »

On the deep philosophy of Formula 1, precisely, Ferrari’s strongman wishes to gather all team representatives to reflect on it: « I intend to invite [all teams] to Maranello, not to discuss a single point that might give an advantage to one team or another, but to talk about the overall approach to Formula 1. I think people do not have enough opportunities outside of race weekends – where you have to prepare the car for the race, deal with sponsors, television, and the public – to quietly discuss among themselves and look forward. »

“I would like it to be constructive, without talking about things related to the competition, to discuss the nature of F1 with the teams,” he stated, before concluding: “We need to make proposals to do something, without sidelining anyone – and not do it under the table. I want to do this in a very open manner.”